Fix corrupted Windows Update system files using DISM Tool

Windows Update in Windows 10 exists to keep the operating system, and other Microsoft software updated and requires little intervention from us. This smooth functioning, however, may experience hiccups when any corruption occurs in its system files. Under such circumstances, Windows updates may fail to install. For example, if there’s a system file that has been damaged, an update might fail to install.

Fix corrupted Windows Update system files

To fix Windows Update corruptions, open an elevated command prompt window. To do this, type Command Prompt or CMD simply in the Search box, right-click Command Prompt and choose ‘Run as administrator’ option. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

Once done, type the following command, and then press Enter to Run DISM:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Please note that here you need to be patient since the process can take up to several minutes to complete.

When you run the command mentioned above, DISM will replace potentially corrupted or missing system files with good ones. However, if your Windows Update client is already broken, you will be prompted to use a running Windows installation as the repair source or use a Windows side-by-side folder from a network share, as the source of the files.

Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP Awardee in Windows (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP. Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.